Day 246

Today's Reading: Revelation 8

You know a relationship is in trouble when silence occurs between the two parties. Nothing is worse than a silent home between husband and wife. I’m not condoning it, but yelling at each other is better than silence. At least people are voicing their opinions. But when silence occurs, it means I’m done talking. It’s over. Silence means the end is near.

After the Roman soldiers took Jesus into custody for His crucifixion, both Pilate and Herod questioned Jesus. We have his responses to Pilate. But when Jesus appeared before Herod, something eerie occurred. Here is how Luke recorded the scene:

“Herod was very glad when he saw Jesus; for he had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had been hearing about Him and was hoping to see some sign performed by Him. And he questioned Him at some length; but He answered him nothing.” (Luke 23:8-9)

But He answered him nothing. 

Herod was an apostate. If Herod would not listen to John the Baptist’s warnings and had him beheaded, he was not going to listen to Jesus. In fact, we are told that all Herod wanted was a sign performed, a trick to see. Herod had wanted to see Jesus for a very long time, and when he finally did, he received only silence! The only one talking in the room was Herod. He had the Son of God in his presence, the One whose very word created the ground he was walking on, and he was the only one talking. Silence from the Son of God.

And now, in Revelation 8, we see that all of heaven has gone silent for thirty minutes. Do we understand the ramifications of this silence? For seven chapters, heaven has been bursting with praise, and now everything comes to a screeching halt. All of the angels, elders, and four living creatures stop their worship.

The chapter prior shows that they are declaring that robes have been washed white in the blood of the Lamb. They are announcing in the last verse of chapter 7 that God shall wipe every tear from their eyes. And now in chapter 8, nothing:

“When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it to the earth.” (Revelation 8:1-5)

When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, it caused silence. Why? That seal contains seven angels with seven trumpets, which are seven judgments about to be released on the earth. I think the silence is shock and awe by heaven’s host. What they are about to see has never been witnessed before. Heaven has seen nothing but mercy and grace shown to the planet and all of humanity. But now, mercy and grace have run their course, and it’s time for God to hold court on the world and its wickedness. It is earth’s final judgment. It is the beginning of the end.

Heaven has never seen anything like this before. The mouths that had nothing but praise in them, now can say nothing at all at the breaking of the seventh seal.

What amazed me about this chapter is what seems to break the thirty-minute silence in heaven. It isn’t an angel, an elder, or one of the four living creatures. It seems to be prayer—the prayers of the saints. There is no more prayer in heaven, only praise. So these prayers are coming from believers on the earth before the first trumpet sounds.

The power of these judgment trumpets are so awful, it silences heaven. But prayer is so powerful that it can end the silence in heaven and I believe protect the believer on earth.

Spurgeon said it best about the power of prayer:

“The power of prayer can never be overrated. They who cannot serve God by preaching need not regret it if they can be mighty in prayer. The true strength of the Church lies there. . . . If a man can but pray, he can do anything! He that knows how to overcome the Lord in prayer, has heaven and earth at his disposal.”

Prayer broke the silence in heaven because only prayer could. Prayer made the voice of ordinary mortals into a voice greater than angels. Keep praying those prayers. Heaven hears them.